Inflation in Ukraine in April was 0.2%, reaches 1.4% since start of year

MOSCOW. May 13 (Interfax) - Consumer prices in Ukraine rose 0.2% in April 2024 versus 0.5% in March, Ukrainian media reported, citing data from the State Statistics Service (Gosstat).

Prices also increased 0.2% in April 2023, so in annual terms, inflation remained at the level of 3.2%, as in March.

Core inflation dropped to 0.7% last month from 1% in March, while it increased to 4.4% in annual terms from 4.2% in March.

Inflation for the first four months of this year reached 1.4%.

Prices for food and non-alcoholic drinks decreased 0.3% in April, Gosstat said. Eggs fell in price the most (down 19.2%), as did sugar (-2.4%) and vegetables (-1.7%). The most noticeable increases in price were for butter (+1.2%), fish and fish products (+1.1%). Prices for alcoholic beverages and tobacco products increased 0.6%.

Price increases for clothing and footwear reached 0.9%.

In the healthcare sector, prices for pharmaceutical products increased 1.9%.

Transport prices rose 2.1% last month, mainly due to a 3.7% rise in prices for fuel and lubricating oils.

As reported, inflation in Ukraine dropped to 5.1% in 2023 after jumping to 26.6% in 2022.

At the end of April, the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) improved its inflation forecast for 2024 from 8.6% to 8.2%.